UH News defended itself by claiming freedom of expression and said that the articles in question did not mention the advisor by name. Nevertheless, Judge Alexandre Corrêa Leite ruled that the articles were "defamatory" and "maliciously" detailed her relationship with the deputy, according to the court.

While freedom of expression remains a fundamental right guaranteed by the Brazilian Constitution, the courts have proven an effective tool for to cripple the media, especially smaller organizations, and silence critical journalists and bloggers in Brazil. Last week, the Knight Center launched a timeline chronicling court-driven censorship that shows there have been 16 cases such since the start of 2012.

Click here to see the development of this troubling legal strategy in Brazil.